Speed-control mechanism for vehicles



July 17, 1923.

1,462,358 H. v. RUDOLPH SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14. 1921 Train July 17, 1923. 3,462,358

H. V. RUDOLPH 4 S PEED CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed May 14 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (June/14 601 1 Liwm Jimafiy 17, 1923. 3,462,358 H. v. RUDOLPH SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES Filed May 14 1921 3 Sheet s Sheet 3 M Patented July 17, 1923.

nanonn v. nunorrn, or safari/roan, MARYLAND, Assienon o nnmon v ero- MATIo TRAIN conraon CORPORATION, or BALTIMORE. MAI YLANE A CORPORA- new or MARYLAND.

SPEED-CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed May 14., 1921. Serial No. 463,437.

To all whomz't may, concern:

Be it known that HAROLD V. Rononnu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Mary-land, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Control Mechanism for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved speed-control mechanism for automatic train controlsystems and is especially designed for use in that class of train control systems wherein a control shoe is carried on the vehicle and so arranged as to be moved by contacting with ramp rails along the trackway whereby to operate a shoe-switch on the vehicle and open or close electric circuits to break down or maintain the vehicle 'mechanism according to the conditions of the track ahead,

In said systems it is usually planned, when the track ahead is clear, to pick up a cur- ;rent from the ramp-rails and substitute it for the normal vehicle current while the I shoe-switch is open, and in case the track ahead is occupied, to cut-off the current from the ramp-rail which guards the occupied section of track, so that no current can be picked up to be substituted for the broken vehicle circuit, and thus deenergize magnets on the vehicle that will cause an automatic stop of \the same.

It has now been found desirable in railroad operations to permit a vehicle to enter an occupied block or section, provided the speed of the vehicle is reduced to a point of safety, and the object of the present in-, vention is to provide improved mechanism on the vehicle whereby the vehicle mechanism may be. maintainedin a running condition when passing a deenergized ramp-rail, to which the current source on the trackway is cut off, only however in case such vehicle is traveling at a sufficiently low speed to be deemed safe.

Herejtofore it has been proposed to com,- bine with a speed-control relay, a dash pot, whereby to retard the operation of theve hicle relay, or to provide mechanical elements to effect the same result, but both of these as heretofore proposed have objections able features which are liable to beencountered in actual practice,

An object, therefore, of this .invention is to provide novel means whereby in case the speed control relay s not operating correctly, a warning signal will be given to,

made use of to control the armature of relay itself.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein,} 'i

Fig. 1. illustrates in a diagrammatic way the several devices and circuits on the VE- hicle for carrying the invention into practical effect. I

Fig. 2. shows the improved relay in vertical sectional elevationf I I Fig. 3. illustrates the same in side 616V?!" tion,--the casing being broken away to disclose the parts therein.

4c. shows the same in top or plan view Fig. 5. shows a sectional detail of a form v when the track ahead is clear, and open when the track ahead is occupied or in. a dangerous condition, i i All of these features are common in traincontrol devices nowin use and are not claimed in themselves by me. i

Qn e e l I p o id a pl ral ty ef movable circuit breakers or switches 7 and 8 and a plurality of switch contacts Sand 10 for one switch and 11 and rarer the other switch.

The two switches are designedtobemoved.

simultaneously and are so arranged that when one is moving in a direction to open one circuit the other is moving in a direction to effect a closure'of another circuit.

It'is not essential just what means be employed to effect a movement. of the two switches. but in the present instance I show a stem 13, connecting the two switches and carrying a contact shoe 14, at its lower end which shoe is so located on-the vehicle as to engage in succession the ramp-rails 2, which are provided at intervals along the trackway and are so inclined as to impart a vertical movement to the shoe, stem and switches as each ramp-rail is'passed.

In some instances the, vehicle carries two shoes and two sets of switches and contacts but the operation is the same in either case and illustration of the two shoes and correspondlng contacts is de'emed'unnecessary 1n this case.

In the'present instance the switch'7, is designed with an upper contact surfa'ce and a lower insulating surface 15, which latter will not'conduct electrical current.

On the vehicle I provide a control valve relay which inpractic'e is designed as a comloined electro-pneumatic valve 16, of such construction as to effect a venting of thev train-line of an air-brake system when the magnet is deenergized and thereby. apply the of a vehicle current supply 21. v Connections 22,23 and 24, are provided from the other side of the vehicle current supply 21 to the control magnet 16, andconnections 25 and 26, extend from said control magnet 16,.to

' the shoe-switch contact 9. I

' It will also be noted that from shoe-switch 10, I provide connections 27 and'28 to the contact 19, with which armature 18, contacts.

I ply 21, keeps the control-magnet 16, energized when switch 7 is in "engagement with contacts 9. and 10 andthat the circuit thus maintained through the control magnet is a stick-circuit because it includes the armature 18, of the magnet which is energized.

' It is to be particularly noted that the switch-contacts 9 and 10 which the switch 7, v engage are so disposed that when the switch moves up the contact 10, after a certain movement of the shoe has been made, will be engaged by the insulation 15, whereas the contact 9, will always engage the contact surface 7 and that hen the conta t is 0.

the insulation '15, the normal circuit across the switch 7, between said two contacts 9 and I 10, will be interrupted.

Just what occurs upon theinterru'ption of the normal circuit across the switch 7, de-

pends on whether the track ahead is clear,.or

The lower end of this armature rod is carried by ahead 35 having contact'fingers 36 and 37 which are positioned so as to: engage stationary contacts 38 and 39 when the "coil is energized and the armature held up.

An adjusting screw 79, carriedby the case I servesas a stop for the armature head and also provides for varying the air-gap 40, be-

tween the end of the armature'and stop 41 a when the armature is down and the coil deenergized.

Stop pins 42, are provided in the end of the stop 41, so that when the armature is up it will engage these pins'and keep the armature slightly spaced fromthe stop and prevent residual magnetism and the resultant 5 sticking-up of the relay.

Of course, when the armature moves in either direction the valve with it. w I

The upperend of the valve stem has a central recess 43 in which the lower end of a valve-actuating in 44, depends.

.This pin exten s across a chamber- 45,

with which a whistle structure 46, is constem 34 will move nected, and the upper end of said pin enters I an air-inlet port 47, and engages a valve 48,

that controls said port. I

The air-control valve 48 is located in a chamber 49, and is held to its seat by a spring 50 when the pin is depressed sufii I p ciently to permitits seating, which is under From theabove explanation it will be. "seen that normally the vehicle current supnormal conditionsz'when thecoils are deenergized. i

A guide port 51, is provided at the lower side of the chamber 45, through whichthe pin 44, passes and the lower side of this port is beveled so as to form a seat in order that the'tapered upper end 52,0f the valve stem 34, may seat against said seat 51 and cut ofl the passage of air down on top of the valve stem.' j

Thechamber 49, is supplied with air'by a passage 53, which is fed fromthe main reservoir 54 of hicle. v v

A cock 55,.is provided in the air-supply passage 53, whereby to cut oil the air to theJair-brake system on the ve chamber 49. This cock hasa handle'56 and 'i switch 8, closes with contacts 11 and 12 a contact arm 57 which, when the cock is side of battery switch contact 10, then across will be noted that the open, engages a spring contact plate 58, and

moves the latter to a position wherea circuit will be closed between two stationary contacts 59 and 60, for a purpose that will presently be explained.

Cz'rcuit for halve magnet relay.

Normally, when the vehicle is traveling between ramp 'rails the valve magnet relay is kept energized 7 by current from the vehicle current supply or battery 21,'by a circuit as follows: o v From one side of the current supply 21 by connections 20, 19, 18, 19, 28 and 27 to shoe the cylinder'7 to contact 9; then by connections 26 and 25 to and through valve magnet relay 16 and return by connections 23 and 22 to other 21.- The valve magnet relay 16 is thus normally energized so as to keep the control or air-brake mechanism in the running condition. I v This normal circuit through the valve magnet relayis astick circuit, including as it does the armature 18 of the relay 1t energizes. I

Ramp current circuit for oalve'magnet,

When the contact shoe 14 on the vehicle engages a ramp rail 2, said shoe will be raised, carrying the stem 13, and both contacts 7 and 8 with it. Contact7 will raise until the insulation 15, engages the contact 10, thereby interrupting the circuit across the cylinder 7 between contacts 9 and 10.

Before this interruption takes place how;

ever, the current picked up by the shoe from ramp-rail 2 (such current being supplied by local battery 3) will be conducted by the stem 13 to cylinder 7, then by contact 9 and wires 26 and 25 to valvemagnet relay 16; energizing the latter; then return by wires 24, 23, 61 to the axle 62, wheel 63 and to track rail 1, and finally from the track rail by wire 64 back to local current supply 3.

This picked-up current therefore keeps valve magnet 16 energized while the shoe is traveling over an energized ramp rail.

By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing it shoe switch contact 12, is connected by wires 64, 27 and 28 to one of the contacts 19, the armature 18 the other contact 19 and wire 20 to one side of "vehicle battery 21.

It will also be noted that the other shoe switch contact 11, 1s connected by wires and 66 to the speed control relay 29 and that wires 67, 23 and 22 form the return 5 latter is designed so that normally it will keepthe circuit open even though the shoe when a clear or energized ramp rail is engaged by the shoe 14:.

Attention is called to the fact that the speed control relay 29 and its circuits are controlled through the valve magnet relay 16, which latter must be energized when the speed control is actuated.

By again referring to Fig. 1, of the drawlng it will be seen that a wire connection 69, is provided'between the cut-off-cock contact 60, andv the wire 28 which'connects with the vehicle battery 21, and that another wire connection 70, leads from the other cut-offcock contact 59 and connects with the armature contact 39. of the speed or time-interval relay 29.

i mothe'r' v'vire 71, connects the armature contact 38 of the time-interval or speed relay 29, with the wire 25, that connects with the coils of the valve control relay 16 so that when armature-contacts 37 and 36 of the time-interval relayclose with contacts 39 and 38., a substitute holding stick-circuit will be formed through the valve magnet ref lay 16, provided the cock-switch arm 57, is in the open position, and further provided that the valve-magnet relay 16, does not become deen'ergized before the time interval relay 29 picks up.

Operation when shoe engages (Zecnergized ramp with vehicle at safe speed.

Normally the speed or time-interval re-' lay is deenergized and the circuit controlling is open but the valv'e-magnet relay circuit normally closed;

Whena dead or deenergized ramp-rail is being approached eitherof two operations may take place. I I

If the vehicle is traveling at a high or unsafe speed, an automatic stop'will be produced regardless of anything the engineer mi ht do to prevent it.

f such vehicle is traveling at a safe or low speed then the engineer may, after certain manual operations onhis part, proceed without having his train automatically stopped, and as long as the speed control means is in operation a continuous signal will be'giv'en the engineer.

When a deenerg'ized ramp rail is reached the/contact shoe 1 1, will ride up thereon and raise the shoe-spindle 13 enough to close the circuit, through the speed control relay contacts ll and 12. This closing of the movable shoe contact 8'with the stationarycontacts '11 and 12 isdesigned to take place be h tion of this current in the coil causes the ar -I mature 35, with its. attachedvalve stem 3%,

to be attracted towards thearmature stop 41. The coil 32, in this instanceis made of. five separate coilsv which-are connected in multiple, which arrangen'ient allows for a much larger air gapgtO thanif ;one coil connected in series were used, and thepull of the coil is not as great at a large air gap as at a small airgap, consequently a. delay or retarded action is gained. This delay' or retarded featureof the coil is taken advan tage of and may be varied by the aid of an, air-gap adjusting screw 79 which I provide to increase or decrease the ar -gap to 'meet v the requirements'of the case. i The two pins 42, inserted-in the armature stop ll, project slightly below the'latter and when the armature 35 is up, it rests agalnst '2 these pins, which ensurejtheformation ofa small air-gap between the armature stop and 4 theend of the armature, thereby preventing residual magnetism in either part from. sticking the relay up. when the armature rises, or is drawn toward the stop 41 thesame is guided by the arinaturetube 3,3Iand the valve stem 34 which is attachedvto the arma ture riseswith it,v This valve stern f35 has'a; recess 4L3 inits upper end which forms aguide I andst'op for the lower, end of the pin e When the valve stem 34 has risen nfar-enough,

the bottom of the recess engages fthe" lower end of the'pin l l'and theforce exerted by the coils overcomes the pressure of the pin r spring. 50, andthereby lifts the valve {l8 off its seat and allows air pressureto fiow and operate the'whistle 46..

and the speed of the vehicle hasbeen' reduced because of the caution" signal previously,

, given the engineer, the latter will have closed the.switch'-68.-before the deenergized' ramp rail has been engaged by the contact shoe. I As the speed has ,been'reducedthe travel of.

458 the shoe 1% up the gradually inclined ramp:

' latter and pickup armature 36-37,- before, :the current passing through contacts 10, 7

and .9 to magnet 16- will; beinterrupted, Consequently as soon as armature 36'3,7 is

2, will be slow, as comparedto its movement when the veh1cle 1s, traveling at a hlgher or unsafe speed,,and before thecontact'7 passes from contact- 10, the contact 8 of "theshoe, switch willengage contacts 12 andll. prior engagement between contacts 12 '8 and and 11 before the; interruption of the circuit between contacts10, '7v and 9, is sulficient, with regard to t me, provided the ve :hicle' istraveling slowly, to' enable the current from the vehicle battery 21, to pass by connections 20, 18, 28, 27, ca, 12, ,11, as v and. 66 to the magnet. 29,-and energize the up a substitute circuitfrom the vehicleibat te'ry 2 l', through the armature ll oflmagnet a seco'nd, more or less. l I v The alr whistle is controlledby neans of I r I ingofi thepumps. When adeenergizedreimp rail 2 islreached' able insulating material is;

vent the short circuiting of the vehiclefbat- 16v and. the armature 36-37 of magnet 29,

will be formed to keep the magnet 16 energized and prevent an automatic operation of the brakes, provided the. speed of the1vehicle has'been reduced sufficiently to enable the substitutecircuit to be formed and the comparatively slow-acting relay 29fto pick 7 up, before the shoe has raised sufiiciently to open the circuitbetween contacts 10, '7 and 9.

The term slow acting asapplied to the magnet 29 herein'ls to be understood to be amagnet that acts more. slowly than a quickactmg magnet. operate in one-fourth of a second while, the

latter mayv operate in: one-one-thousandth of a cut-out! cook: 55..

and as'the normal position of the pin 44 is closed, the whistledoes not blow.

passing a contact rail and as'a Warning signal to him when anything is; wrong with the relay. Asthe ramp rails are only placedat lntervals, the whistle should onlyblow intermitt'ently. If the whistle should blow continuously and; after a ramp rail is passed, it isv a warning that-something is wrong with the relay and the latter should be cutout.

The leakageofthe main reservoir air from.

the air brake systemforia. prolonged interval ofv time will causetrouble inkeepmg up the ClSSlIQClIJIQSSIlIG, as this leak will prevent the pump governor from automatically closmoved to a vertical position, which cuts voff the air supplyto thewhistle'. 5

Attached. to the cut out cock. switch lever arm 57', {which such a manner that .it bears key: is a cult between two contacts 59 control feature of the relay is; inoperative the. cut-out The former may in reality t A pipe is irunto the. whlstle valve from the main reservoir 54,

s t This .fea-,. ture s used for the dual purpose of serving as a warn ng signal to theengineer when,

t t In order to out out the whistle the cut. outcoclr handle 56,:must be is arranged in. v againsta contactspring'58 and closes a path fora sir, and60g Suit-. providedto p re-K and. only a slight 59 and 60 and to. the whistle. The, connecarebroken even'though the. armature itselfis stuckup,

th'uschecking therelay on itself. The armature and contact fingers 36-37 and the ad usting screw 79; are. protected, from unauthorized interference by means of the cover. The contacts 36and 37 are soarranged that when the armature isattr'acted- 1,4e'asss to the coil the contacts engage suitable contact surfaces 38 and 39.

This arrangement breaks the valve magnet holding circuit also. Suitable insulating material is so placed as to'insulate the contact finger from the armature proper.

The circuit for picking up the speed control relay has the spring switch 68 in it so that the engineer is required to close this switch, after he has gotten a caution signal and, have th same closed whilevthe contact shoe is passing over a ramp rail because the shoe-switch contacts 11 and 12 and the shoe switch 8, are all parts of this substitute speed control circuit. If the vehicle is traveling at too great a speed then the circuit for holding the Valve magnet relay 16 will be interrupted and an automatic stop will follow.

The circuit for holding the valve magnet 16 up when this condition exists, is broken through the switch 58 attached to the whistle cut out cock key, and then through the contacts 39 and 38 on the relay 29 itself, so that there are two possible openings in the path of this circuit which must be closed. The position of the whistle cut out cock handle is normally open, and the switch contact normally closed.

Of course the speed control feature of the relay will not come into effect unless the engineer pushes the key 68.

Having described my invention,Iclaim,-

1. In a train control apparatus the combination with a vehicle having a stop device, a current supply, a contact shoe, a plurality of pairs of shoe switches, a speed control device, a signal device, a normally closed circuit including the stop device the current supply and one pair of shoe switches, a normally open circuit between said current supply and the stop device, anormally open circuit between the current supply the speed control device and another pair of the shoe switches, means for operating the signal when the last-named normally open circuit is closed, and means for cutting out the signal and forming a second break in the said first-named circuit.

2. In a train control apparatus the combination with a vehicle having a stop control device, of a current supply on the vehicle; plural pairs of switch cont-acts and switch means therefor also on the vehicle; means to effect an operation of the switch means as the vehicle travels; a normal circuit on the vehicle between the vehicle cur rent-supply one pair of switch-contacts and the control means; a normally-open circuit on the vehicle between the vehicle currentsupply and the said control means; means on the vehicle and having a retarded action for closing said normally-open circuit from the vehicle current supply through the vehicle control-means as the switch means is operated, and signal means on the vehicle and controlled by the retarded acting means.

3. In a train control apparatus the combination with a vehicle having a stop device, of a current supply on the vehicle; means for normally maintaining the stop device from the vehicle current-supply; a normally open circuit also on the vehicle between the said vehicle current-supply and the said stop device; a retarded speed control circuit closer also on the vehicle to close said normally open circuit; means for actuating said retarded speed-control circuitcloser and a signal device operated when the said normally-open circuit is closed.

4;. In a train control apparatus the combination with a vehicle having a stop device, of a current supply on the vehicle; means for normally maintaining the stop device from the vehicle current supply; a retarded circuit-closer also on the vehicle; connections also on the vehicle for forming a stick-circuit from the vehicle current-supply through the said stop device when the retarded circuit closer has been actuated, and a signal device on the vehicle and operated when the stick circuit is closed.

5. In a train control apparatus the combination with a vehicle having a stop device, of a current-supply on the vehicle; switch means on the vehicle,connections between the vehicle current-supply and the switch means for forming a normal stick-circuit through the stop device; a circuit closer also on the vehicle; connections for forming a substitute stick-circuit from the vehicle current-supply through the said circuit closer and the said stop device and a signal device on the vehicle operated continuously as long as the substitute stick circuit is maintained.

6. In a train control apparatus the combination with a vehicle having a stop device, a current supply, a. contact shoe and switches operated by the shoe, of a speed control device; means for normally maintaining a circuit from the current supply through two of the switches and the stop device when the shoe is in one position; a normally open circuit between the said current supply and the said stop device; a normally open circuit between the said current supply the speed control device and the stop device a fluid pressure signal device on the vehicle and means for admitting fluid pres sure to the signal when the normally open circuit between the current supply the speed control device and the stop device is closed.

7 In a train control apparatus the combination with a vehicle having astop device, a current supply a contact shoe and switches operated by the shoe, of a speed control device; means for normally maintaining a circuit from the current supply through two of the switches and the stop device when the shoe is in one position; a normally open signal when the latter circuit is closed; a

circuit between thesaid current supply and valve for cuttingoif the fluid pressure and the said stop device; a normally open cira switch device operated by the movement 10 cuit between the said current supply the of said valve to form a. second break in said 5 speed control device and the stop device a latter normally open circuit.

fluid pressure signal device on thevehicle; In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. means for admitting fluid pressure to said HAROLD V. RUDOLPH. 

